Life is *better* after covid
If you took a snapshot in time from February 2019 and right now, the world would look quite different. Human behavior and psychology has changed over the past 3+ years.
When I hear the media, Twitter, and other large groups of people talk about covid, they tend to focus on the lockdown period. The time when we were wearing masks, social distancing, when kids were virtual “learning”… It wasn’t fun, and there is something nice about talking about the bad times with other people who can commiserate.
Well, the bad times are over. I feel for the small businesses who went under and the people who have long-term health issues. But on the whole, I think the humans of the free world are better off having gone through that experience. (Side bar, if you’d like to see how people in China fared, this is an amazing / horrifying Twitter account to follow).
We came out better!? Better how? Here’s what I see now vs before…
People are healthier. They workout more. They’ve built home gyms. It is part of their daily routine. People who didn’t workout started. And people who already ran, biked, swam, lifted weights, and cross fitted do more of it now. I remember learning to swim again in the ice cold Bay at Aquatic Park when the pools were shut down. I barely made it 500 meters my first time out, but the view of Alcatraz was awesome. Now, swimming is one of my favorite hobbies.
At the beginning of the covid outbreak, I couldn’t find a kettlebell to buy anywhere. Bike shops were almost empty. Now, I don’t see Goodwills full of kettlebells and bikes. They stuck, and I see people taking their physical health more seriously.
People are more aware of their own thoughts and feelings, and they are more willing to talk about them openly. The world is more accepting and encouraging towards this behavior, so the mental health flywheel has been set in motion.
New business formations are up 2-3x (ie, over 100%). Creativity is up. Ownership is up. People betting on themselves is up. Human independence is up. Big time win for humanity. Knowing a large portion of this audience is in tech startup world, keep in mind most of these business aren’t what you’re used to. They’re artists, craftsmen, fitness instructors, microbrewers, etc. Over time, the second order effects of these entrepreneurs will be amazing.
People spend more time with their neighbors. Local communities are tighter and more valued. I remember having “driveway wine” with our neighbors across the street at the beginning of lockdown. Never did anything like that before. Never even had them over for dinner. It sparked a vibe. Our entire block played “lockdown bingo” from our windows. We hang out regularly with our neighbors these days.
People spend more time with their families. Family life and work life are intertwined. The work-life balance dichotomy is dying. We figured out it was a false dichotomy when our coworkers kids started making appearances on video chat. You are you at work, home, the grocery store, and everywhere else you go. (This girl knew all along though.)
People moved for all sorts of reasons. That prompted a mutually beneficial exchange of ideas and mindsets across the country between the movers and the people already there. The friends I’ve met in Madison have changed me. I’m more creative and more willing to slow down now. I think I’ve changed them too. (Side bar, 2011-2021 was a great time to live in SF, and I’ve never been more thankful for that).
My emails usually have a business tie in, and I think all of these changes will create many business opportunities now and in the future. But this email is more about life than business. Covid prompted a wide-scale reprioritization of what matters to us. It was a blessing in disguise.
How is life better for you after covid?